Saturday, April 12, 2008

Springtime Beachcombing

The wind was strong enough to keep us out of the kayaks, but since it was blowing from the north there was one other possibility to get out and enjoy the cooler dryer air.

An afternoon trip to Matagorda beach started out with another wildlife sighting. Just before arriving at the entrance to the beach I spotted a large snake that looked like it had been run over but not killed.

Be sure to click on these pictures to get the full effect of how long this snake is.





This Westerm Coachwhip was between 5-6 feet long. These are considered "harmless" but one report by a biologist said they will turn on you if you are trying to catch them. I gave this one plenty of room...

This is the second coachwhip that has made its appearance on this blog. We spotted an Eastern Coachwhip on a trip to Florida a couple of years ago.

It was a good day to be on the beach. The dunes protected us from the north wind and the Gulf was stirred up but beautiful.



We walked about a mile looking at shells and other items like this coconut.



I always like the driftwood. There are three large rivers that empty into the Gulf within 25 miles. The Brazos, San Bernard, and Colorado rivers bring lots of wood debris to the surf and by the time they get to the beach they are polished and bleached. The ever changing beach soon works its magic and some are buried, some pusded back up to the dunes and some are burned in bonfires.




Spoonbill's Restaurant continues to be a favorite. It is really nice to have a spot that has great food and service so near the beach. Edie Pruitt keeps coming up with new offerings and I tried the new dish called Sunshine Fish. The fresh baked black drum with a yellow bell pepper coulis sauce and braised bok choy was great and I added the black beans and rice with mango salsa to finish it out. The fresh out of the oven pineapple cornbread muffin and some boiled shrimp complimented the meal and the fresh salad and home made dressings are always a welcome way to start the meal.

If you aren't hungry yet, you will be!

2 comments:

Bawana said...

You bet I'm hungry, it's a familiar feeling around here.

Paul Batchelder said...

Black drum..The best redfish money can buy!